der Knast
Translation
jail (slang), prison (slang), the clink, the slammer
Examples
Er musste für zwei Jahre in den Knast.
He had to go to jail for two years.
Der Dieb sitzt jetzt im Knast.
The thief is in the clink now.
Grammar Patterns
to go to ((jail)) Er musste in den Knast gehen.
to be in ((the clink)) Der Dieb sitzt im Knast.
Similar Words
Synonyms: Gefängnis, Haftanstalt
Etymology
The origin is not clear, but it's thought to come from German thieves' slang (Rotwelsch).
Memory Tips
The word 'Knast' has a hard, abrupt sound, which can remind you of something unpleasant like jail. It's informal, like 'clink' or 'slammer'.